Fabricators of products in the field of plastics and elastomers, such as thin-wall articles, and gloves in particular, have always had to compromise on either the performance of the gloves or the function of the human body while wearing them. In most cases, currently available articles and gloves cause either a huge loss of user dexterity and/or grip, or are made in such a way that the senses of touch and/or feel are diminished. This is particularly a problem for users of articles and gloves operating in high risk environments. For example, industrial and medical personnel typify glove users for whom high degrees of touch, feel, dexterity, and grip during prolonged use are particularly desirable due to the serious nature of accidents that can result from failure of these features in their work environments.
Additional deficiencies associated with available articles and gloves include that they can disrupt homeostasis and necessitate that the wearer remove them during use to regain normal body temperature regulation. Other deficiencies of available products include health problems posed to users that have type I or IV latex sensitivities or nitrile allergies. Yet other deficiencies common to currently available articles and gloves include that they lack breathability, accumulate body oils and sweat, and give off gas, unhealthy odors, and can provide an environment for pathogen growth. Still yet other deficiencies include that such articles and gloves have tight, inflexible coatings that cause user fatigue and muscle soreness. A further shortcoming includes grip failure, particularly in wet, solvent, or oily environments.
Available polymer coated articles and gloves made from natural rubber, isoprene, polybutadiene, nitrites and other synthetics, require surface modification via chlorination or the addition of talc or other particulates or coatings to eliminate natural tackiness. These articles and gloves suffer from particle shedding, which can spread allergens and contaminate the environment in and surrounding the article or gloves.
Fiber-coated articles and gloves made with the foregoing treatments, such as a disposable exam glove, have a low coefficient of friction (below 0.5), are slippery when dry, and have almost no grip when wet. They are not breathable, inhibit homeostasis, and quickly cause a user's hand to become sweaty. They also give off gases and odors, and elutriate proteins and other unreacted potentially toxic processing aids.
Articles and gloves made of knitted substrates and having impervious coatings possess limited breathability and are overly thick and fatiguing, which limits dexterity and feel, inhibits homeostasis and causes sweaty hands. These articles and gloves also have almost no grip ability in wet conditions and can release gases, odors, proteins, and skin sensitizing compounds. Other available articles and gloves, including foam coated and foam processed laminated products, still suffer from many if not all of the foregoing deficiencies.
An as yet unmet need therefore exists for thin-wall polymer coated articles and gloves, and methods therefor, which eliminate or minimize the foregoing deficiencies.